Sacrilege attempts in Punjab : 2nd man beaten to death

Amritsar: A day after a man was beaten to death for an alleged sacrilege bid at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, another person was killed after being accused of disrespecting 'Nishan Sahib' (Sikh religious flag) at a gurdwara here on Sunday morning.

Some residents of village Nizampur claimed that the man disrespected the Nishan Sahib and tried to run away but was caught after a chase. According to police, the man was beaten to death. On Saturday evening, an unidentified man was caught and beaten to death after he jumped the golden grills inside the sanctum sanctorum, picked a sword and reached near the place where a Sikh priest was reciting the holy Guru Granth Sahib. The incident drew sharp reactions from political leaders, with Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi ordering a probe into it.

Punjab Police is trying to ascertain the identity of a man, who was beaten to death after he allegedly attempted to commit sacrilege inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and it has been established that he spent a few hours inside the complex.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa held a meeting in Amritsar (when) with the deputy commissioner, the police commissioner, the inspector general of police (border range), the Amritsar Rural SSP and other officials. A case was registered against the unidentified man late Saturday night under IPC sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 307 (attempt to murder), Amritsar Police Commissioner Sukchain Singh Gill said on Sunday.

The RSS on Sunday condemned the sacrilege attempt at the Golden Temple in Punjab's Amritsar and said it is a conspiracy to create unrest in society. "Guru Granth Sahib and Sri Guru Parampara are revered by all of us and are the repository of India's wealth of knowledge," Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said. Asserting that the Guru Granth Sahib and Sikh Gurus are a common heritage, he said there are forces that are conspiring to create disharmony in the society. Hosabale sought a severe punishment against conspirators behind sacrilege incidents. However, he said the people should not let such incidents to disturb communal harmony.

The BJP has demanded CBI investigation into the alleged sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in the sanctum sanctorum of Golden Temple in Amritsar 'so that such instances are not used to disturb the peace in Punjab'.

The BJP has appealed to Union Minister Amit Shah to persuade Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi to handover the case to the CBI.